Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1927)

996 Motion Picture News "First Auto" Parade Scores for Detroit Theatre A campaign staged for "The First Auto" in Detroit under the supervision of Louis Braver of Warner Bros., attracted widespread notice to the showing of that picture at the Madison theatre, where the picture played a two weeks' engagement. The Detroit Automobile Dealers Association and the Detroit Automobile Club cooperated with this Kunsky-Publix house in the framing of a big street ballyhoo in the form of a parade of old cars. Prizes were offered which brought out scores of entries claiming to have the first auto. A direct tie-up with automobile manufacturers was achieved through the medium of General Motors who issued special bulletins to idl their Detroit factories including those where the Cadillac, La Salle and Chevrolet are manufactured. These bulletins apprised the employees of the special angles of interest to them in "The First Auto." Fall Style Revue Staged at Chattanooga Tivoli Through cooperation with a leading ready-to-wear store, Manager E R. Rogers of the Tivoli theatre, Chattanooga, offei'ed a Fall Fashion Revue in connection M'ith his presentation of "After Midnight." The stage show was built up into an entertainment of wide popular appeal and is credited with having attracted a large portion of the business recorded during the engagement. The merchants undertook the entire expense of the production and staging of the revue and in addition gave the event wide publicity through notices in the store and newspaper advertising. Engraved announcement cards were distributed from house to house. Circus Coming to | Town I Not as big as Ring | ling's but better. i It's a big harmonica f contest. 5 WHEN? i Saturday June 11 .Say, children, get those old French harp.s in tune and be there, "Johnny on the Spot". VVin yourself a fine M. Horier instrument. Instruments on display at Applegate's Drug .Stqre. CONTEST.TO BE HELD AT GAIETY THEATRE under management of A. P. Kniss. Entries open to any boy or girl under 18 years old. F'or further information sec Mr. Knis?. jUlUttW»»K«KKK»»»»»3LK.'>3«X««««»»tVICOOtMOOi>>>>1>.»»«OOia One of the forms of exploiting harmonica contents in conjunction ivith Educatiftnal's "tiiR Boy" comedies. The throtvaway shown above has been effectively used in several cities. ■^^ .yC fVA^ Edward Everell Horloii A Marion Nbfon » SSBISJB i II Hiit ini d '^Ji^ 'II 11 ^ 1 1 i^i Effective use of a 24-sheet cnlitut for lobby display purposes is shown above in the photo of an arrangement tcith which "Taxi! Taxi!" (Universal) was exploited as the American theatre, Denver. Variety of Exploitation Ideas Sell "Big Parade" in Memphis WIDE range of stunts employed nnd the thorough coverage accomplished through the use of ma.iy publicity mediums distinguished the powerful exploitation campaign executed by Howard King^more, manager of Loew's Palace theatre, in the interests of the fivst showing at popular prices of "The Big Parade" in Memphis. The eanapaign included extensive use of posters, a tie-up with the recruiting servlt^e, newsboys pai-ade, eloborate lobby decorations, and the use of accessories. Accessories used in the campaign consisted of forty-eight caps, stenciled with the title of the picture and distribu^^ed among newsboys: eight oil paintings, which were used in the lobby before the opening and then in various store windows. One special banner w'hich ran the. full length of the marquee, and was illuminated by ^he I'egular electric sign. Also thei-e was a large papier m.ache soldier, standing with rifle and bayonet at the ready. "Allied" flags were hung all about this soldier, who was placed in the lobby, and a spray of these flags was used to decorate the marquee. The entire front of another theatre, on the Main Street, and now closed, was used for the construction of a large and elaborate shadow box display. Two similar displays were used in two vacant stores, both in the immediate vicinity of the theatre. A local ordinance forbids the placing of advertising matter on telephone or light poles, but this was overcome by the cooperation of the Army Recruiting service. The recruiting officer went to the city authorities and informed them that he wculd like to use all telephone, trolley and electric light poles to advertise "The Big Parade" in connection with recruiting. As a result cards with the following copy were placed, tied or tacked to every available spot, ' ' You '11 want to join the army after seeing 'The Big Parade' at Loew's Palace Theatre." In order to get a parade with music on the downtown streets on the opening day, a tie-up was effected with the newspapers, whereby all the newsboys of the city were invited to attend the opening performance in a body. An elaborate window display was placed in one of the department stores. The papier mache soldiex', previously used in the foyer, and a spray of "allied" flags was used as a background for the studio model and seven large paintings of M-G-M stars. , A short trailer was used seven weeks in advance of opening date. Three de luxe trailers were used together. The local unit of the national guard, 115th Field Artillei-y was in summer encampment and scheduled to return to Memphis during the first week's run of the picture. An invitation was extended to them to march direct from the station to the theatre for a special showing. This was impossible, due to the time of arrival. However, the commanding officer informed his men of the invitation and ui'ged them to individually see the picture. No passes were extended.